The Hornets announced Friday that Kon Knueppel is out with a left hamstring injury suffered during an offseason workout, and he will miss the preseason. His expected return is Oct. 21, which falls after Charlotte's Oct. 6 game against the Nets.
What happened
Kon Knueppel was ruled out Friday at 4:16 PM ET with a left hamstring injury, according to the injury report. His status was not previously announced. The Hornets said Knueppel will miss the preseason after hurting the hamstring during an offseason workout. The report lists an expected return date of Oct. 21. No further detail on the mechanism or severity is announced beyond the hamstring designation.
What it means for the Hornets
Charlotte's next game is Oct. 6 against the Nets, and Knueppel's Oct. 21 expected return means he will not be available for it. Last season, Knueppel played 81 games at 31.5 minutes, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Without him, minutes fall to a rotation led by Miles Bridges (31.0 min, 17.1 pts), Brandon Miller (30.3 min, 20.2 pts) and LaMelo Ball (28.0 min, 20.1 pts), with Collin Sexton (22.3 min, 14.2 pts) also in the mix. The Hornets are 0-0, as the 2026-27 season has not started, so there is no record with or without him yet.
What to watch
The next injury report will show whether Knueppel's status changes ahead of the Oct. 21 target date. That expected return sits more than two weeks past Charlotte's Oct. 6 opener against the Nets, meaning the preseason and the start of the regular season will pass without him. No other timeline beyond Oct. 21 is announced.
Is Kon Knueppel playing vs the Nets on Oct. 6?
No. Knueppel is out with a left hamstring injury, and his expected return is Oct. 21, after that game.
When will Kon Knueppel be back?
His expected return is Oct. 21, per the injury report.